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Stepping into spirit with keys in hand

When your entire being is dedicated to the work of conversing with beings your conscious mind attempts to convince you do not exist, your impassioned -Will- breaks through the mental murk into silence. Here you will behold divine consciousness brought to form. Here you will entreat yourself with angels seen through Gateways of a clear stone, within a circle of unshakable truth…

I’m quite familiar with Joseph C. Lisiewski’s work having read ‘Ceremonial Magic and the Power of Evocation’ several times through during the course of pursuing traditional methods of evoking the Goetia demons. I also have the sequel ‘Howlings’ along with his books on Kabbalah, etc. he definitely does some ground breaking work and has set the tone for the veritable practice of ceremonial magic. Many of his axioms and findings have rung true in my own work with some exceptions… His strict adherence to pseudo-religious dogma and ideals in some instances have created some of the backlash he speaks about not only after magic ritual but in his professional and personal life as well in my opinion.

The author has a determined albeit narrow acceptance of how “things should (or will) work”. In some ways he is the polar extreme to the fluffy “new angers” who have no real experience or know how in magical matters to begin with. I continue to have “mixed” feelings on his works but appreciate his efforts overall and acknowledge the genuine account of experience which seems to coincide with my own.
It’s difficult to find occult books which relate -actual- successful experience working with the grimoires which is why I decided to begin writing. However, excellent and organized works on grimoires are abundant these days with authors like Stephen Skinner and Dave Rankine, Joseph Petterson, Aaron Leitch’s “Secrets of the Magickal Grimoires” is a great primer for actually working these historic texts. If you want to read about actual accounts of those who have practiced historical ritual magic, I also suggest reading John King’s Imperial Arts for the Lemegeton’s Goetia, works by Frater MC, and Jake Stratton-Kent for intelligent relation through discerning experimentation. Each author had a differing philosophy and take on ceremonial magic as a whole, but each has valuable insight.
There are many novice magicians who are hoping to simply encounter a spirit or experience one genuinely and are drawn to ritual/grimoiric magic to accomplish this for them. (This was my initial motivation) Although possible, I believe one can and rather should experience the spiritual and/or divine prior to attempting conjuration. There are a few ways to achieve this but each is a locked door that can only be opened under specific circumstances suitable to the mind of the magician.
The dynamic interaction with spirits that are ‘physically’ apparent and audible, etc. is a major metal/emotional/spiritual shock to most adults who have continually structured their reality paradigm (most likely to counter these types of experiences). As a Psychology student and Hypnotherapist, the event is simply not supported well by most individuals and the mind will immediately construct an alternative to such a blatant occurrence. Not only that but I am convinced of a spiritual “moderator” who is able to determine just who and to what degree these spiritual events can actually be witnessed.
Many if not most will never experience what Lisiewski describes even if they follow his instructions to a tee because of these factors that he fails to mention or is simply unaware of. You can only “Subjectively Synthesize” yourself so much. Some simply do not have the capacity/aptitude to behold spiritual phenomena to the degree he describes (Their psyche cannot or will not support such an event). I know this due to my own experiences of trying to include others in events that confused and bewildered them and for which they were unable to process mentally/emotionally. It’s simply not time for some minds to be awakened to the worlds behind the veil.
After some of the more intense encounters, my rational, conscious mind tried to debate and conform my memory of the experience into a more acceptable framework of its constructed reality. I had to meditate often to cease the battle for acceptance going on in my own head.
My experience is such that I can state now that what Lisiewski describes and explains many times does in fact exist and occur. Yet, I also know from not only schooling but from conversations with spirits directly that not everyone perceives them (the spirits) the same way. No matter what the ritual, things still filter through the levels of human consciousness, perception, and frameworks of comprehension.

From the altar space is cast the inner reflection of the divine soul in hope, union, communion, and awareness….. This space, for you my lord, my ascendant, my mind, and heart to the heavens. Let Thy light and mind show the wonders upon this place, …and by this grace be with me always.
The secret does truly lie with the K&C with your HGA.

Nephilim Press will also be publishing my personal experience and take on this matter soon. I hope you who decide to purchase this work will enjoy the revelations shared by me as well as several other great magicians. Without going too far into the subject matter that the book contains, I believe true union and conversation may only occur through a very dynamic and precise magico-religious shock which initiates a dissolving of the ego, and mental perception of reality and self, that allows true awareness of that which is not created in/by the restring mind.
Some of these major locked doors I alluded to previously can only be unlocked in this fashion. Many do not come to opening their eyes to the spiritual after a rather traumatic and intense event which shifted their awareness, and dissolved long held patterns of acceptability. There is no smooth road to this for anyone wishing to step into the unknown.

The purely psychological model concerning the ‘reality’ of spirits was popular for quite some time. Although I understand completely their reasoning behind this theory my experience has shown me otherwise even when I began evocation and ritual magic from this standpoint myself.

Spiritual beings are completely distinct from human consciousness although, human consciousness, and compression are the filters used to perceive them. They have their own motivations, machinations and purposes. Many exhibit knowledge and traits that people do not have (even collectively) and are not simply, “psychological” aspects of the deep human unconscious.
Like I mentioned, I tried to adhere to this school of thought when I began in my teens, but one I was forced to abandon after evoking a spirit to complete manifestation……I realized that my personal psychology was desperately trying to accept and comprehend the reality of the situation, rather than formulate it. I was also completely aware that the actual being before me was beyond my comprehension and complete understanding. I find people of the purely psychological side of the fence have never undergone this type of experience before.

I get rather amused at those who associate the Goetia spirits to “personifications of human dark or instinctive psychological, etc. natures”. The demons are aware and well-disposed if not ‘versed’ in these aspects of humanity but they go quite beyond that. Their abilities and knowledge transcends anything that has to do with any of these simple ideals. Such as causing earthquakes, storms, and other such phenomena.
They definitely affect and move within those passionate and exploitative aspects of humanity however. That’s how spirits and such typically work with us…magic and influence works on each subtle level through the astrally dynamic.

Fairly recently I heard ceremonial magic, ritual magic, and evocation/invocation defined as “artistic self-analysis”.
Psychology was my major in college. I’m a certified hypnotherapist and spent a lot of time in the psychotherapy field. I definitely see how psychology relates in trying to decode magical workings but does not determine them by any means, just as they do not determine the machinations of the spirits.
Our interactions with formless-consciousness (entities/spirits) are always colored by our culture, language, mind, concept perception and framework of reality acceptances which we possess in the mind. Spirits tap into this and relate in ways our minds can actually accept and at least semi-comprehend.
No spirit needs to “look” like anything but they are themselves as real as anything else beyond perception……the psychological aspects placed on them aren’t necessarily false imaginings per say but they aren’t complete either. This is the reason magicians utilize ‘road-maps’ in order to work with the relative or apparent “chaos” of the spiritual world since it is so different than what physical humans perceive it as. These “road-maps” of course, are the tried and tested methods and/or ‘traditions’.

Certain spirits, angels, ancestors, guiding spirits etc, can actually…fine tune (attune) our perceptions and abilities to perceive and converse with them better. Thus we are able to integrate their gifts (shared knowledge) so that we can actually see, comprehend, and do things we were unable to previously. Often, I didn’t notice all I was learning or being gifted with till afterward.

Relationship is a key concept here with many magicians having their own beliefs about what is deemed as “appropriate” or most beneficial.
Working with the Almadel angels, seemed to naturally open up my ability to actually call other angels and spirits into crystals, etc better so I could see and hear them better where I couldn’t before, as well as do this for others…I’m pretty sure they (the angels) did this for me even without me consciously realizing it.

After one of our evocations, my scryer who is not a ceremonial magician, reflected on how he perceived the magic within the magical circle and during the operation. He said, “Once you begin the ceremony, you seem to create some sort of a vacuum, where the very atmosphere changes and whatever you invoke rushes to the circle, in an instant. It’s amazing!” He also spoke about how the structure and timing seems to get everything aligned and working toward the intended purpose. This made me smile, as like with many things, when you’ve been doing it for a while, you tend to forget just how incredible ritual magic is and how well it can work under the right circumstances. Once certain actions “click” on the spiritual as well as physical side of things, the incredible phenomena will be obviously apparent.
As I’ve stated several times now, its been quite enjoyable getting feedback and outside perspective from someone who is not integrated into the mechanics of Western Ceremonial Magick. The magic works whether you believe it will or not or even know what it’s about…
Without acquiring this link or some sort of ‘Spiritual ambassador’, it’s practically impossible to truly be let into the “club behind the veil’. It’s the reason why many if not most people can go about oblivious to an sign of the spiritual, intelligence…pattern, and design. If we find the correct way to ‘ask’, certain spirits can help us find the correct way to ‘see’. Its training the eye to see the 3D picture from a mess of dots…only, in reality, the dots are there to assist, if you ask

The work continues with new lessons and completely amazing achievements through the celestial powers… There is an extension of soul through which the angelic powers clear the way for clearer realization of full and destined potentiality.

I’ve been asked the question: “When angels or spirits, speak to you, what does it sound like? Do you hear them in your mind or are they actually speaking aloud?”

My response is that it seems to be all of the above and will sometimes seem to alternate without warning.
Indeed the most confusing aspect of hearing spirits (when reflecting on it afterward) is the sense of distance/location when they are speaking. More often than not, when the spirit has either appeared or made it’s presences known, I will hear them in a way comparable to wearing high-grade earphones where no other sound, acoustics of the room, or any other factor seem to affect their voice. At times it sounds as if they are speaking directly into my ear. At other times their voices sound faint and removed as if they were a long way off though appearing right in front of me. Angels especially seem to communicate running words, visions, sensations and images together in a seamless and rather perfect way.

After a successful evocation, I am often confronted with the realization that my limited capacity to understand what was communicated to me is hindering me to comprehend the larger picture. Conversing with intelligences that definitely have higher methods of exchange seem to break things down in order for human (conscious) comprehension. Luckily, I believe human beings (at least certain ones) are able to tune into a wide variety of communication methods depending on their capacity and frequency in exposure. As a combined variable, the disembodied intelligences or powers can assist the mage greatly to bridge this chasm of dimensional communication. Exactly how and in which ways, or under what circumstances this is decided, I’m not completely sure of. It is not solely based on “attitude” or extreme piety/humility though I can say that. I have conducted evocations in sour moods where I practically expected to fail, all to have the spirit (usually angel) surprise me with a remarkable visit that seemed rather ..undeserved.

About the Author

Bryan Garner/Frater Ashen Chassan is a practicing occultist and grimoric traditionalist who has been involved in Western ceremonial magic since 1999. His passions center closely on reproducing experiments from the Solomnic magical text and exploring their effectiveness.
His approach is a serious study of historic forms of magic and spirit communication.
He is the author of Gateways through Stone and Circle, a manual of evocation for the planetary intelligence.
He currently lives in Colorado with his wife and son. Besides his occult pursuits, he enjoys the outdoor activities of Colorado, studying celtic myth and legend, and teaching at Kashiwa Bujinkan Ninjutsu Dojo, his Japanese martial art center.